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Akumal is a small town between Playa del Carmen and Tulum on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
In the heart of the Riviera Maya just 37 km from Playa del Carmen and just one hour south of Cancun, Akumal is one of the best places to visit in the Mexican Caribbean for its great variety of beautiful beaches and tourist services.

Akumal in the Mayan language means "Land of turtles" and it is still one of the favorite places for these marine animals to spawn. However, what makes Akumal charming and fascinating for tourists from around the world, is its spectacular bay with clear waters and underground rivers. Akumal is one of the most peaceful places in the Riviera Maya: one protected shallow bay with a secluded beach and a nearby reef.

The nearest Airport to Akumal is the Cancun International Airport. Fly into Cancun and rent a car for the drive to Akumal. It is approximately a one hour drive from Cancun.

You can also pre-book a private transfer from the airport to your destination. There are dozens of companies offering this service on internet to pre-book and even directly at the Airport. Also, you can choose between sharing the vehicle or have it private just for you and your party. Some of the options are:

Cancun Cheap Transfers

Mayan Sol

Mayan Sky Travel

Discovery Mundo

BestDay

Amstar DMC

Olympus Tours

USA Transfers

Paradise Transfers

There are also buses and shuttles with some hotels or dive shops offering free shuttles. Ask your hotel or attraction provider if available.

Unless you plan on just staying in Akumal, you will need a rental car to get around. The closest sights are at least a 20 min drive. However, if you're not comfortable driving in a foreign country, there are plenty of taxis to take you wherever you need to go.

There are also colectivos, a local 15-passenger van service that runs between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. They're cheap (35 pesos per person), and usually full, but run very frequently. You can catch the colectivos off the main highway. If you are standing on the side of the highway the driver will flash his lights at you if he has room in his van. This is the preferred local way of getting around.

Akumal has a beautiful bay with a wide white sand beach, wonderfully warm blue-green water and great snorkeling. Cute little town with several restaurants. Don't miss Akumal Bay, Half Moon Bay and Yalku Lagoon, its 3 destination points! Incredible snorkeling at each - with services too - quaint and charming.

Sections of the reef and the main feeding ground of the sea turtles are completely closed to the public due to severe overcrowding by humans and the resulting spread of diseases in the turtle population. This is enforced by federal military.

With the destruction of hurricanes and popularity, the reefs near Akumal have been damaged, but are protected and gorgeous. Sea life abounds. A snorkeling trip is very worth the time and expense. Snorkeling is free, life vests are suggested but not mandatory, and beaches are public - remember that!
There are three options for snorkeling:

Go on a tour provided by one of the two great dive shops in town. It is $40 USD per person.

Go on an "unofficial" tour. If you stand on the beach with a clueless look on your face, a local may approach you and offer to take you snorkeling on his glass-bottomed boat. It is usually $20 USD per person and includes snorkeling equipment. The guide will attempt to find the famous sea turtles for you and show you different corals and fish. Make sure you are comfortable swimming with flippers as the guide may swim quickly from site to site. Not always legal business', hence the deals.

Rent or buy your own equipment and swim out alone. The coral reefs are not too far from the shore and can be easily accessed by swimming, especially with the help of a life preserver. Much of the bay is not more than five feet deep. Be very careful to stay away from the "fire reef" marked with buoys and a distinctive red colored coral. It stings and excessive contact can be fatal.

Since coral dies on human contact, you should avoid touching coral at all costs. It is also illegal to touch the wildlife, such as the sea turtles, so please do not try to ride them or bother them in any way.
There are sea turtles living in the bay that visitors will see while snorkling, enjoy this incredible experience!

Que Onda. Open 13.00-21.00. Continue down the street past Buena Vida, 2.5 km from Akumal Centre, you will find one of the oldest restaurants in Akumal. For 20 years, Maribelle and Luis have made food for the locals here. The best atmosphere in all Akumal. Ask taxi drivers for directions. Cheap.edit

Most restaurants serve beer. Lol Ha and La Buena Vida have a full bar.

Que onda (Akumal). 13.00-21.00. Continue down the street passed Buena Vida, 2,5 km from Akumal Centre, you find one of the oldest restaurantes in Akumat. For 20 years Maribelle and Luis has made food for the locals here. The best atmostphere in all Akumal. Ask taxi drivers for directions.Cheap. edit

Club Akumal Caribe, Km. 104 Carretera Pto.Juarez-Tulum, Akumal, Mexico, ☎52 (984) 875 90 12, [4]. Experience Akumal Bay's crystal clear turquoise waters and bright clear sand that never burns your feet in Club Akumal Caribe. Discover the charm of Club Akumal Caribe. They provide personalized service and the best service in the Riviera Maya. Come, discover and exceed your expectations with Club Akumal Caribe. They are always ready to welcome you on your next vacation.edit

Unahkin#3, Aventuras Akumal (2.7 miles south from Akumal Bay), ☎52 (984) 108 03 20, [5]. Four condo building placed just in front of one of the most beautiful beaches in Akumal's area. This white sandy beach is also one of the most visited by the turtles in the nesting season, between May and September.US$90. edit

As an added additional concern, the locals have developed a very high concern for ecological issues. They prefer that your sunscreen be biodegradable, and that you not touch the bottom over the eelgrass beds where the turtles feed. They have also roped off an area of the reef for free snorkeling with a buoy line. Although small, the area is more than adequate to see many turtles and some interesting spotted and regular rays.